Bilge Pumps

Not every boat is magically eternal like the “Black Pearl” from “Pirates of the Caribbean.” So, to stop your ship from drowning, you need to keep extracting all the water (that enters the boat one way or another). Being the owner of a boat without Jack Sparrow’s crew, you will need to do it yourself. This is where bilge pumps come forth to help.

A bilge pump is a water drainage gadget that helps to remove bilge water. These pumps are now available in different styles, including automatic bilge pumps or special designs for marine. Previously, these pumps had many common uses. They were often used to suck seawater into a live fish tank to preserve fish until it reaches the dock. Meanwhile, they helped in sucking water and throwing it on blazing fire in case of an emergency. However, today all the bilge pumps on the ships are placed below sea level. Thus, it helps the boats to gain extra suction pressure. To get maximum advantage, these pumps are placed near the bottom of the hull. This is also where they sit and suck water out of the ship. Apart from seas, these force pumps also have some land use like pumping water from the tanks for household or irrigation processing.

A beginner’s guide to understanding boat bilge pump

Almost all boats end up gathering unwanted water in the bilge. To avoid sinking, it important is to remove this water on time to avoid destabilisation of the boat. Meanwhile, it also helps in lifting spilt fuel and distributing it throughout the bilge. However, getting water out of the boat is the automatic or manual bilge pump’s core function. This small device is of great importance when it comes to your safety on the boat. As in some cases, the leak can be catastrophic. However, not all pumps work equally. Therefore, it is important to know these pumps’ core features to utilize them at their best. This is why today, we share some words of wisdom regarding marine bilge pumps so that you are not disappointed in the future.

It is important to know the type of boat

A small boat that sees rough waters needs a better pump system than a larger powerboat needs. The reason is that larger boats generally float on calm waters compared to small boats like a jet or ski boats. It is thus important for you to note how often you are getting into noisy waters and how much your boat’s capacity is. Another important factor is that the bilge pump’s placement is different in each type of boat. For instance, the ski boats and runabouts use a single submersible electric pump in the bilge’s lowest point. While small or medium size racing sailboats or cruising ships generally use a larger pump.

Considering the size of the boat is important

Modern bilge pumps come in different capacities. This capacity is measured in gallons per hour or minute when the boat is in open flow conditions (with no discharge restrictions). Here a rule of thumb is to get the largest model that is practically compatible with the boat. Here the selection of the pump depends on the power limitations and size constraints. The submersible pumps generally have a good open flow capacity that rapidly falls depending on how high the water goes. Another point to keep in mind is that small boats need large-sized pumps because of smaller hull volume. Moreover, small boats have lesser freeboard, which is why they can swamp away easily.

Know the essential system components of the bilge pump

A pump works in coordination with different components besides the pump itself. During the installation, it is connected to the boat battery and a special bilge pump float switch. This switch automatically activates the pump once the water reaches a certain level. Likewise, it automatically turns off when the waterfalls at that specific level in the boat. Another important component is the intake hoes that generally works with a diaphragm pump. It connects the pump with the lowest possible spot in the bilge. One More key component of the process is the discharge hose. It smoothly leads from pump to thru-hull for overboard discharge of extracted water.

Common reasons for the failure of a bilge pump

The most common issue you may experience is the restriction in the flow. As the diaphragm pump continuously drains water and any restriction can stop the flow. In such times, the pump tries to work harder and harder until it stops working. Another common issue in the performance comes with the siphoning effects when the hose is led to a body of water above the starting point. However, occasionally there are issues in the plugged intake as well. This is why the pump must have a filter or strum box at the incoming hose. It prevents debris from entering and clogging the pump or hose. In the end, the dead battery and faulty wiring happen now and then, so keep them changing.